


Gabriel’s Moving Castle

by savegalkissy



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion, Gabriel is suavemente, I live write the chapters on twitter, M/M, idk - Freeform, ot just suave, tried to make that song reference but it failed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-03-29 11:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13926411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savegalkissy/pseuds/savegalkissy
Summary: Jack’s unknown magic is ruining his life. He’s no longer in the military because it’s potential danger, and now a strange and mysterious wizard, Gabriel, has focused his attention on him- along with the witch and government trying to get Gabriel in their clutches! What’s a guy to do?Well, first thing, someone has to clean up this mess...





	1. Chapter 1

Jack frowned at his uniform as he got ready for the day. The military outfit was scarcely decorated, a testament to his short lived soldier days. It wasn’t a disgraceful discharge, but it definitely wasn’t a celebrated one either. He just... ‘wasn’t cut out,’ which was false. But he knew why he couldn’t.

The first reason... He had been too much of a mule to his superiors. They butted heads, ‘misinterpreted’ orders, and really only respected a select few of them. Jack was well aware he was in an army that didn’t value them, and he pushed back.  
The next was, despite his insistence he wasn't, almost everyone was convinced that the man was a little magical. Not that it was too much of a problem in itself, but no one for the likes of them could figure out how he was magic. Which was dangerous for friend and foe alike. Above all, Ana- his captain- had insisted this was the reason. He was a good soldier despite his disobedience, and it was the potential for magical energy to disrupt one another that caused it.  
If Jack hadn't been trained for these mysterious hidden powers- which he was sure didn't exist!- then no one could guess what would happen if he set them off. And that was too much of a liability.

He sighed, and left his bedroom, shrugging on a coat as he headed down to the hat shopped his family owned and he worked in. The shop had been bustling lately, more so than ever. “Well, with my extra pair of hands, you’ll definitely have more hats to sell,” he told his mothers once. Seemed he had been right. He walked into the back of the shop, to his station of sewing on decorations. He wasn’t a fan of the work he had to do, but there was little alternative, even in the bustling town. It was this or being stuck as farmhand at his grandmother’s farm.

He sighed, the memory of his army days coming back as the hours passed sewing. Clipped wings, his mother called it when he was discharged. A disgrace to his pride, he responded. And it just felt like the world was agreeing with him, as soon as those words escaped his lips. But he tried to focus on the stitches he was making, until the door to the back room slammed open.

Jack jumped, and hissed in pain as he stung himself with a needle, quickly pulling away and bringing his hand to his mouth. He looked up as he sucked his thumb to see a familiar face. Captain Amari, his friend and former teammate, smiling down at him.

"Good morning, Jack! How's the hatter's business going?" Ana said, bubbly as she spoke. She was always a cheeky one, Jack noted.  
"Good morning, Captain,” Jack said, saluting. “Everything’s fine, if a little busy today. Thanks for busting in and making me prick myself again, though."  
"Oh, my apologies! Still getting used to all this handiwork, soldier?"  
“Ha! It's definitely not the same as the military. But it was either here or being stuck in gran’s farm for who knows how long.” He shook his head, and ran a hand down his face. “Farming’s nice and all, for a summer, but it grows old quick.”  
"Oh, and then you'd have to travel the Wastes for that. And then that wizard will snatch you right up.”  
"Oh, c'mon Ana, that's not that big of a deal. They're just dusty fields, is all."  
"Yes, dusty fields of witches and wizards."  
“Witches and wizards, load of crock, honestly. What’s a witch gonna do? Curse me?” He asked, and rolled his eyes.  
Ana chuckled, shaking her head and patting his shoulder. “Don’t get your hopes up. Saying stuff like that might make it happen though. So anyway...” Ana grinned, leaning over his desk to give him that look, that look that mean she wanted something.  
“You’ve come to invite me to your party this evening?” Jack said, already cutting her off.  
Ana’s face fell flat. “You already know?”  
“Of course I know. I’m the one who suggested you give the ones back at base a big party.”  
“Ooh, right! Of course. Their first few missions were a success, after all. And Fareeha’s in need of a suitor...”  
“Ana! You know how she feels about that.”  
“Yes, I do. But there’s nothing a little motherly encouragement won’t fix.”  
Jack shook his head, and chuckled. “She’s gonna run away with the first pretty girl she sees.”  
“That’s exactly the idea. I just want to see her happy. And with someone who can take care of her when her poor mother’s all gone.”  
“Captain, you know you can’t wish for true love to keep your daughter from the battle field.”  
“One can hope!” Ana said, throwing an arm over her head dramatically. “So shall I see you there? And... You should wear your uniform. You look dashing in it.”  
Jack paused then, and glanced down at the rim of the hat he was seeing decorations into. He shook his head. “I’m not... sure that would be a sound idea Amari.”  
“And why not?”  
“Well, to be blunt- I’m pretty sure no one in the squad likes me, and are a bit scared of me.”  
“Oh Jack, please. You’re not scary!”  
Jack gave her a flat face.  
“... Well, not scarier than any other soldier should be. And besides, rumors are rumors.”  
“Are they when they get you kicked out?”  
“I- urm-!”  
“Ex-act-ly.” He said, crossing his arms.  
Ana paused, staring at him with solemn eyes. She reached over and patted his arm.  
“Please, just visit us tonight. It doesn’t even have to be for more than a hour, but I’ve missed you and worry about you. You’re like a son to me, Morrison.”  
Jack frowned, and his pride slowly deflated. “Okay, Captain. I’ll go, and I’ll wear my uniform.”  
Ana’s smile immediately brightened up, and she pinched his cheek in a motherly fashion, laughing in victory. “Great! I can’t wait! And I bet you’ll be our own little wizard of the wastes!”  
“Ana, don’t call me that!” Jack felt his cheeks redden, at being compared to him.

The wizard who lived in the waste. They said he was incredibly powerful, and evading the imperial forces of the land by living in the foggy fields and hills outside the city limits. He was known for stealing hearts, figuratively and perhaps literally. Well, if rumors were to be believed (which Jack didn’t).  
Many feared the wizard of the wastes, and Jack, in a way, was one of them. Being magical was a frightening prospect. On the few missions he had been on before he left, he could see the destructive nature and awful power of the wizards in their and the other army.  
He’d seen them turn into monsters. Hideous beings. Feathers and fur, scales and stone, lava and ice. They turned into things not humans. Some died that way.  
He didn’t want to be one of them.

He forced a smile at Ana. “I’m not as cruel as to take someone’s heart, Ana.”  
“Oh, but you’d be quite the heart throb with the ladies and men.”  
“Ana... unless the wizard of the wastes comes and starts taking an interest in me, I’m pretty sure no one else would be interested.”  
“Don’t knock it til you try it.”  
Jack rolled his eyes. Still, he was blushing and had the smallest smile at her teasing.  
After that, the captain gave a quick wave as she had to go, leaving Jack to finish up his hats. Jack waved and saluted her off, before getting back to work.

———————

Within a few hours, the shop was done for the day, and Jack went upstairs to his bedroom. He slowly got dressed, even though he really didn’t want to. Staring at his uniform, he knew he’d feel out of place. Still, he promised Ana, and she’d been so good to him as a friend and mentor. He glanced at himself in the mirror, putting the uniform over himself to see how he looked. It brought back memories, seeing himself.  
He lightly touched two scars, ripped across his face from one encounter with a witch. He winced, remembering the way the ice had slapped him across the face, and then a few moments prior, she had frozen solid and been... From just the few moments of battle he had scene, Jack knew well how this war was intense and dangerous. He ran a hand down his face, and sighed. He sat down on his bed, staring at the wall.

———————

Once he finally had his uniform on, after what was hours of procrastination, he headed out to the party. He looked to the cerulean sky above, as air ships passed by, leaving a smoggy trail behind them. The magic and the burning coal used for them to run was always a disgusting smell.

Jack walked through the back streets to get to Ana’s house, the main roads crowded. Probably from a military parade, or the next batch of soldiers were being sent abroad and having well... a different parade. The government trying to make it seem grand to be a soldier, a show of their hopes and dreams.  
Jack knew it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, but he didnt point it out. No use getting people upset. They didn’t want to hear it- soldiers with their superiority and pride on the line, their families with belief they wouldn’t be killed, and even himself.  
He stepped his way through the darkened alleys, eyes down to the floor. And then, something snatched his shirt collar from around his neck, and jerked him back.  
“Ggh-!” Jack choked, reaching back to try and pull the hand away.  
“Oh hey, if it isn’t Morrison!”  
“Hehe, the very same one who got kicked out!”  
“Why ya wearing the uniform, chum?”  
Jack was able to pull away and fix his uniform, glaring at the soldiers from his old squadron. His hands balled into fists, ready to knock the two out. “I’m expected at Amari’s party.”  
“Oh? Well, glad to inform you that you’re exempt from that too. Like Amari’s gonna notice you missing.”  
“Missing?” Jack said, glaring back at the men. But his expression shifted from one of anger to one of confusion.  
“Yes of course, we can’t just let someone kicked out to go to one of our parties.”  
“Your party?”  
“Ya, our party. The real soldiers.”  
Ugh. These guys were really letting the propaganda get to their heads.  
“You two haven’t even been let on a mission yet. And while I’d love to stay and chat- there’s uh. Something behind you.”  
“Hah! Like we’re gonna fall for that-!”

The man was cut off by a heavy hand resting on his shoulder, and the two looked back to see someone quite... extraordinary. A handsome man, with long tightly curled locks and a grin on his face.  
“Ah, my friend! So good to have finally found you,” the man said to Jack, before turning to the other two. “Gentlemen, gentlemen. Shouldn’t you be joining the celebrations?”  
Jack watched as the man took his hands off their shoulders, and then waved them off. But there was a slight of hand, the gesture seeming much like a puppeteer controlling his puppet. The soldiers straightened up, before turning and walking back to the streets.  
Jack stared up in surprise for a moment. He was almost impressed. Such callous use of magic within city limits would definitely be reported and hunted down- especially against soldiers.  
And the guy didn’t even seem to care.  
“You’re brash,” Jack said, before taking a step back.  
The man laughed, “What, no thanks for saving you?”  
“And bold it seems too. Especially to use magic in the city.”  
He gave Jack a look over. “Not as bold as you,” he said, giving no explanation as to why. But a noise caught the man’s attention, a groaning growl of annoyance. “Ugh, not this again. Come.”  
Jack blinked at the command that had no time to doubt, before the man started to walk, putting an arm around his shoulder and bring Jack along. “Hush now, and keep walking. Don’t look back, and don’t be suspicious,” the man said. Jack followed along, walking with him as he heard the growling grow closer.

“You know, you could at least tell me your name.” Names had power.  
“Huh?”  
“Your name.”  
“Does it- Ugh. Gabriel. It’s Gabriel. Don’t look back.”  
“What happens if I do?”  
“Don’t-“  
Jack turned his head to look behind them.  
He saw men in suits at first. Well, they looked like men in suits. He wasn’t sure what he was looking at- until he looked up to see the face of the ‘men’. They weren’t men at all, but horribly gooey monsters that almost immediately dissolved into muck as his eyes made contact. Gabriel jerked him forward, “What did I just say?!” he hissed quietly.  
“Sorry, I was curious,” Jack said, though he did smirk a little. A nervous smirk though, as he could feel that muck quickly catching up to them.  
The mysterious wizard wrapped his arms around his waist, and held onto him. Jack felt his cheeks blush red.  
“Come on, follow my lead,” the man said, before they twisted and turned into the alleyways and back ends. Their steps quickened, and they walked past an opening to the streets.  
“Hey um, I think we’re going the wrong way-“  
“We’ll be fine,” the handsome man- Gabriel, he remembered- whispered. Jack shuddered a little, and hoped he didn’t notice.

They pulled around a corner.

It was a dead end.  
“Oh no, no-“ Jack started, but Gabriel shushed him. The mucky forms were drawing near, flooding the alley behind them as they chased after. Gabriel just smiled, before he took and lifted Jack bridal style, and jumped into the air.  
And just... kept going. As if he was walking up an invisible staircase.

Each step brought them higher into the air, and Jack didn’t even have time to panic before they were walking over the city. Walking, because this was just pure defying gravity. Gabriel had let go of his waist, holding onto his hands and letting Jack walk freely. “Easy now.”  
Gabriel’s smooth voice eased Jack to not panic, and follow along, taking steps in time with the man. He wasn’t sure how, wasn’t sure why, but they were flying. And it was... truly magical. Not like the air ships, not like the military. But pure, beautiful and lovely magic.  
And he knew.

This was the wizard.

A wizard with great power. One that wouldn’t be in this city, unless he had business- Heart stealing business- One that wouldn’t be so brazen unless he felt he was above the law. That wizard- the wizard who lived outside the city, who stole hearts, who had great power.  
Oh god.  
Jack held in his breath, before glancing back up at the beautiful man.

“You’re the wizard of the wastes.”

Gabriel didn’t even look back at him. “Oh, is that what they’re calling me now?” A touch of amusement in his voice. “Or is it just you?”  
“You do live in the wastes.”  
“Mph. There’s only one magic user who really owns the wastes, and that’s the witch of the wilds. I’m just doing some tax evasion, is all.”  
“Tax evasion? Seriously? That’s why you have a giant animated castle-“  
“Oh no, not taxes to the city. But no more questions, we’re already at your destination,” Gabriel interrupted, before they started to descend. Jack looked down below his feet, seeing Ana’s home below.  
They stepped down, the steps returning as Gabriel brought him to his destination. Jack’s foot landed on the railing of the second floor balcony, and then he stepped down, Gabriel standing on it behind him. He turned to see the wizard bowing, and softly smiling. “Stay safe, and goodbye.”  
“Hey, wait where are you-“  
Before Jack could stop him, Gabriel took a step back from the railing, falling back. Instinctively, Jack moved to see where he had went.

But when he looked down, the man had disappeared into dust.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack receives a visitor he’s never seen before.

“Morrison!” Captain Amari yelled as she ran onto the balcony, bursting through screen doors and grabbing Jack by the shoulders. “What the- what were you doing?!” Ana said, checking the stupefied, stumped man over, shaking him to get his attention. “Do you have any idea who you were just floating in the air with?!”  
“Gabriel...” Jack mumbled, staring back at the edge for a moment, before looking back at Ana, face still perplexed and somewhat shocked.  
“What?”  
“His name is Gabriel.”  
“Oh no, he told you his name?” He’s going to steal your heart before the military can even sanction you for magical misuse.”  
“He’s not going to- wait what? Misuse?! What did I do! I wasn’t using magic! Why would I get in trouble?”  
“You were seen with a fugitive wizard, floating in the air, under suspicion of having your own untapped magic. If anything, it looks like you were both using magic, together, as a couple.”  
“... Oh, son of a-“   
“Exactly! Now, we should try to come up with something, a plan- I’ll try to keep them off you and you can-“  
“Do nothing,” he interrupted, “I’m not going to make this worse. And I’m not involving you. I’m going to go home after the party is over.”

Ana’s worry shown as her eyebrows creased and she pulled him with her into the house, away from prying eyes and into the warmer air. “Jack, you realize you could defute this- give information of the wizard to authorities, he’s been wanted to join the army for years. Specifically requested by the royal wizard herself, actually, Miss Vaswani. Even take the test to figure out if you are magical after all and prove them wrong,” Ana tried to convince him, but Jack just shook his head.  
“I’ll figure this out by myself.” He didn’t want to focus on this, and he definitely didn’t want Ana’s involvement. She could get hurt or discharged, and he couldn’t do that to her.   
“Let’s just enjoy the party,” he said. With that, Jack broke away from Ana, before she could try to change his mind, joining the rest of the party.

  
Which, he had to admit, he wasn't sure why he agreed to in the first place. Parties were overwhelming and loud, and with the news he'd just been floated in by the country's most wanted wizard, it was louder than before.   
He spent most of the organized disorganization trying to avoid people. Really, the only person he talked to was Fareeha, who found way too much enjoyment in his predicament, teasing him in front of all her friends.  
“You're gonna be marry the witch of the wilds because you're such a crone, Fareeha," he teased the younger woman back.   
"Why marry?" She was curious, her friends giggling at her, but she waved them away.   
"I heard she likes the one's who are crazy. But I've never met her."  
"Are you calling me crazy?"  
"Would you or would you not?"  
"... Well she is an extremely powerful witch- and if she looked good and treated me right..."  
"See, you're crazy. Who's gonna date a witch because she’s powerful and nice looking?"  
"Says the man who charmed the wizard of the wastes!" She teased, before saluting him.  
"I didn't-! Fareeha!"  
But it was too late. She'd turn away at her statement with a laugh, walking away to join a passing group of dancers. He pouted, and went to find a drink. At least Fareeha wasn’t yet aware of the seriousness of being seen with Gabriel. 

* * *

  
After that, the party was pretty much a haze. He watched carriages pass outside. The streets slowly cleared, people left, and so did he. Jack needed to close up the shop proper for his mother, and clean up.   
As he walked, he couldn't help but feel eyes on him. As if someone was watching him. He occasionally heard the squeak of carriage wheels, but when he turned around, a carriage would have already passed down the street, or there would be nothing. He tried to calm his paranoia, blaming it on the encounter earlier that day.  
He unlocked the shop door once he arrived, his mother must have already closed down for the night. But even still, he had to clean. He locked the door once more, and set out to work.  
He had just picked up the broom when the sound of the door opening caught his attention.  
"The shop's closed," he said without lifting his head, sweeping some paper and ripped rippons from the floor into a bin. He'd probably have to fix someone's hat tomorrow when they realized it was gone. Hopefully they wouldn’t yell at him for doing a lousy job.   
"My apologies. But I am not here for the hats."  
Jack blinked, and looked up, pulled out of his thoughts.

An attractive lady stood by the shop’s entrance, admiring herself in one of the mirrors. She wore a pointed hat, decorated with all sorts of lace and patterns. The problem with that, was that definitely wasn't one of their hats.   
"I've come to speak to a Jack..."  
"Well you have him, ma'am. May I ask who you are?"  
The blonde woman gave a small laugh, and turned to him with a glaring smile. "A witch never gives out her name, my dear. Names hold power."  
Jack took a step back, holding the broomstick defensively. "A witch? What do you want?"

"What do you know about Gabriel?"  
"Gabriel- Oh. That guy from earlier. The wizard- well, I don't know anything besides the fact he's..."  
"He's what?"  
"He's... a charmer, for sure."  
"Charming, heh? Certainly is applicable.” She has an unreadable expression. "Much like you," she said after a moment, before chuckling. She raised her hand, and several blobby forms grew behind Jack, grabbing him by the arms and holding him in place.   
"Hey! Let go of me!" he yelled, glancing back at the masses he couldn't pull away from, growling in the back of his throat as he jerked around.  
Weren't these the same creatures as before? The ones that chased them in the alley-  
No, chased that wizard.  
He froze. Oh. Oh no. This was the one who must have been trying to attack the wizard.  
"H-Hey, I don't know what you want from me- I just talked to the man for a moment!" he said.  
“Oh, Suuure," the witch said, grinning cheekily. "Gabriel never talks to anyone for 'just a moment'," she said as she approached, cupping Jack's cheeks in both her hands. "Especially not someone so... Special. I could just steal your heart right now. But... It has no use for me."  
Special? What was special about Jack? He was from a family of farmers lucky enough to do something different with the shop.

"I'm nothing special, ma’am. Please, just- whatever you want, I don't have. Just leave."  
"The Witch of the Wilds doesn't follow orders."  
Jack felt his face drain of any colors. "The Witch. Of the Wilds."  
"Yes."  
"The one known for cursing?"  
"Yes."   
She sounded smug, confident in her abilities, and liking the fear on his face.  
Jack had heard about her. She'd been casted out of the country for her spells- especially her curses. She'd lay evil onto anyone who slighted her, and never undid the deed, no matter what.

She was probably singlehandedly the reason casual magic use was banned, considering her callous use.  
And here she was, a grin on her face, staring hatred into his soul.  
"Speechless? As one should be." She said, before she sprang forward- into Jack, leaving him breathless.

The witch disappeared into a cloud of ash and smoke, and Jack jerked forward, but nothing held him back. He flailed his hands to get the dust away, gasping for air, before coughs shook his form.  
He turned around.  
It was like she was never even there.  
And he felt incredibly odd.  
He stumbled- still a bit in shock, numb and not quite there in the moment.  
Between the fog over his eyes , he made his way to the mirror, almost afraid of what the witch had done to him. He felt slow, tired, and breathing was harder. Had she made him ill? His chest felt tight.   
He steeled himself, and readied a glance. The face he saw...

Wasn’t his own.

Well- It was. But it wasn’t the one he woke up to everyday. It was... older. Rougher. He was... balding. Out of everything, that’s what he noticed, the miniscule receding hairline. But he just stared, before running a hand down his face. “Huh... this is... Something else.”  
He pulled at his cheeks, noticing the sag of his flesh, and pushed at the bags under his eyes. He felt more sore, more tired, but somehow, more content.   
“... this is a bad spell. But I don’t think it can the undone,” he said to himself. But then he took a deep breath, and shook his head, staring at himself in the face. “Actually. This can be undone. And even then- it’s useful. The guard can’t take me in if I’m not the man they’re looking for.”  
Talking to himself was a bad habit. But more often than not, he had good ideas, or what he said would just always come true. And he needed that luck right now, even if he looked weird debating to himself.   
And perhaps Jack was on a bit of a breakdown. Between being attacked by a witch and being turned into an old man, who wouldn’t he? He took a deep breath, before grabbing one of the nearest hats, and muffling his scream with it.   
Once that was done, he walked out the store, and headed upstairs. “This is a tomorrow problem. I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

* * *

  
He groaned awake, turning over in bed and running a hand over his face. The blankets wrapped around him, constricting him as he rolled near the edge. And then, he shifted just a bit more...  
And fell off the bed.

“Ooooooow,” he whined, face first into the hard wooden floor. He’d landed on the floor before, but god it hurt now more than ever.   
Why did he feel so sore and achy? He pushed himself up, and sluggishly moved to stand. The answer lied in the mirror on his bureau.  
Looking back at him was the same face from yesterday, just as confused as he was. And then, it hit him.

“Oh. Oh god. All of that really, actually happened.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t forget I live write chapters on my twitter!
> 
> Will try to update every other week, maybe by weekly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes a new friend

Jack packed up as much of his clothes as he could, stuffing them into a bag, as well as some money and dried out hunks of meat and cheese. He’d buy bread on his way out. But he couldn’t stay- he had no way at all of explaining this- and he _knew_ where to go. He was going to find that damned wizard, and make him fix this. It was his fault that he was targeted by the witch anyway!

Jack felt a bit wheezy as he rushed, but he ignored it, and focused on what to wear. He’d be leaving the city limits, which was usually restricted...  
Except to soldiers.  
He glanced uneasily at the uniform from yesterday, crumpled over a chair. Jack put on the uniform, and straightened it up, glancing back at himself in the mirror. The man looking back at him- he chuckled. He could see himself as what he had always expected to become, if he didn’t died in the war. A worn soldier, who looked tired as he was respectable.  
No one would dare to stop him.

And he had to admit, that made him feel... confident. He looked the part, and no one could mistake his stubbornness for bull horned youth, even if that’s what it truly was. Gathering his things, he snuck out the house before anyone could wake. He grabbed an old cane they sold in the shop, pausing to glance back. The shop was quiet, empty of any noise as everyone above slept. He knew his mother would worry about him, and probably go to the authorities. Even if they were already after him. But what could the authorities do to people outside of their line of sight? Going to the source of his problems was the only way. It also didn’t hurt to also avoid any quips about being frail and breaking a hip. He wasn’t going to explain _this_ to anyone if he could help it.

Walking to the store felt like it took forever, but eventually, he reached it. He wondered if the shopkeep would recognize him, as he came in all the time, for snacks or errands for his mother. But when he entered, they saw a distinguished old veteran, looking a bit disheveled as he went about the shelves, squinting hard at the prices. Not young, grumpy Jack.  
It was freeing, getting a salute and a nod of respect as he got his items, giving it back and smiling his signature dazzling grin. He didn’t have to worry about being seen with pity because of his troubles, or lack of respect for his age.

Being respected was something he could get behind.

After he left with his bread, he headed to the city limits, the border between civilization and waste. If he was going to find that wizard- Gabriel- he was going to need to find his moving castle.

* * *

  
With confidence in his step, he walked up to the border and smiled at the guardsmen.  
“Ah, good morning sir!” The man stood straight and saluted.  
“Good morning, youngin.” Jack was really enjoying this. He could play the part perfectly.  
“What business do you have?”  
“Visiting my sister at her farm, she needs help.”  
The guard rubbed the back of his neck. “Aw, I’m sorry sir. We can’t allow people out right now- the witch of the wilds was spotted recently as well as the wizard of the wastes. We’re trying to find them and keep them in the city, you know.”  
Jack gave a little tilt of his head, and a pouty frown. Well this was a problem. But he looked like a sad grandpa, so maybe... “Oh... but, the farm...”  
“I really am sorry, sir.” The guard softly shrugged his shoulders, but his empathy was there. Jack just needed to tug a few heart strings...  
“But my poor sister... She’ll be alone. Unprotected. Surely... if they’re in here, it must be safe to travel out there?”  
“Uh... well...”  
“Look at me, I am clearly not a witch, and I’m not magically inclined. I’m definitely not handsome enough to be the wizard of the wastes.”  
“Well, how can I be sure?”  
“I’m sure I would have a trail of beautiful ladies following me if I were!”  
The man snorted, a grin coming to his masked face. He made the guardsman laugh, and Jack smiled back.  
“Please? For an old soldier who’s bones hurt enough as it is? I’ve come so far, do I have to walk all the way back home?” He got another sympathetic look from the guard. Good.  
“Well, I suppose so... just make sure you keep this a secret, sir.”  
Jack winked, “Oh, of course. I’m not a snitch. Especially not to another guardsmen,” he said, before the guard moved aside and let him pass into the foggy fields. Jack saluted, and got one back. He passed through, grinning with pride to himself. He could have been a spy.

As he passed through the fog, he had to admit, it was a mess. It was thick enough to cut, and with his aging eye sight, difficult to navigate. The winds blew him back, but he kept walking, using his cane to brace himself.  
Jack was sure they’d stay dense and filled, but within an hour walk, the grey land clouds cleared up instantly. He paused as he saw the field go from a cold muted green to warm endless yellow greens and blue. He could feel a weight lift, and he smiled a bit. He stepped back, and the fog shrouded again. Forward, clear as day.  
So the fog wasn’t real. It was magic. Kept the city hidden and kept the wilds looking dangerous. But travel happened, and they couldn’t hide the beauty that was outside for long. At least their enemies would have a harder time finding them. 

* * *

  
He didn’t really know where he was going. He just had to find that damn wizard. He lived in a metal beast, a living castle that seemed to walk on its own. He wondered how powerful he had to be to make an entire building move.  
Well, power didn’t matter unless it helped fix this.

He heard rumors of the wizard’s castle near the mountains, but that was a long walk- and the castle, could in fact, move. How was he going to get to it? How was he gonna track it down- how was he even going to get inside the thing?  
Well, best not to think to hard. He’s psyche himself out. A loud growl came from his stomach, and Jack knew it was time to eat. He sat down, laying the bread and cheese out to make a sandwich, humming to himself.

_Ribbit_

Jack blinked. He turned his head and looked around, trying to find where the noise had come from.  
He didn't see any disturbances in the grass, and the noise didn't repea-  
_Ribbit_  
Jack slowly looked down to see a pair of large eyes staring up at him, a huge green frog on his lap. Eating his sandwich.  
The frog seemed to tilt his head at Jack, before croaking again. Jack froze up, and tried not to panic.  
To say slimy animals were... not his favorite would be an understatement. Smiling tensely, eyes wide as he stared at it, Jack slowly moved to pick it up. The frog tilted its head at him. It had... human like eyes. Which Jack knew wasn't normal.  
In fact, nothing about it was normal. Jack wasn't an expert, but he was pretty sure there was no way a frog could be this big. And- How could it possibly survive out in the wastes? There wasn't a drop of water around, and he was sure sandwiches didn’t feed frogs normally-  
Oh. No.  
He forgot to pack water.

"... Heeey, buddy," he said, sheepishly. He’d forgive the crime of eating his food, just this once.  
_Ribbit_  
"Do you know where water is?"  
The frog tilted it's head at him, before jumping up at Jack's face.  
Jack shrieked and fell back, before flailing his arms and making the frog jump off of him.  
"Oh thank god no one is out here to see that..." he said, checking himself over. He wiped the dirt off of himself, before hearing the frog croak again as he started to pack up. For some reason, he didn’t particularly feel like eating anymore.  
“... can you understand me?”  
_Ribbit_  
“... well, I’ll follow you anyway. You must know where water is.”  
The frog just stared dumbly at him, before turning around and starting to hop away.  
“Hey! Wait-!” He said, before quickly gathering his stuff and following him. “Don’t leave me behind, I’m an old man!”

After what seemed like hours of walking, Jack was exhausted. The frog hadn’t led him anywhere with clean water, and annoyance was flooding his veins.  
He finally caught up to the hopping little slime ball, and grabbed it with an empty bag. Jack was tired of chasing it down, and just wanted to try and see if this clearly magical creature actually had any magical sentience.  
“Please give me some sign you’re not just a frog,” he pleaded, staring down at it. The brown bug eyes just stared back, bright and seemingly void of any acknowledgement. Jack huffed, ideas starting to tell him he’d been wrong. “Maybe this was a stupid idea after all. I haven’t even once seen that castle, and now I’m going to die of thirst-“ his self pity grumbles were interrupted by a croak.

The frog suddenly started to struggle and kick its legs, making Jack nearly drop it in a mixture of terror and surprise. He struggled to try and keep it secure so he wouldn’t- but instead it jumped out of his hold and onto his head, croaking loudly.  
Jack froze and his eyes widened as he felt the creature sit, lips tight together to hold in the freak out. And then he heard it.

Large footsteps.

The frog croaked more, before hopping off his head and in the direction of the noise.  
Jack turned around to follow after, because well, he was trying to find the wizard, and also because he was worried the frog would hurt himself.  
With good cause, because the castle was close. Closer than expected. Jack was running after, when the ground around him started to shake. Rythmically, in time with the stomps. He kept running, though he was nearly tripped each time.  
The frog kept hopping, straight towards the castle as it’s “foot” finally came into view.

Jack was breathless as he finally reached the frog, before scooping it up in his hands, grimacing the whole time. He frowned at the creature. “What are you thinking, just running right into this-“  
The frog croaked in an almost shriek, and Jack looked up, about to be stepped on

Jack shrieked too, and tucked, ducked, and rolled out of the way as the metal foot came down, narrowly avoiding it. He gasped for breath and collapsed onto his back with a groan.  
The frog croaked again, and he glared down at him. “Y’ better be grateful I saved you,” he said.

The frog croaked again, before shifting out of Jack’s arms and starting to hop towards the castle again.  
“Hey-! Hey! Are you crazy? I just saved you from that!”  
Jack chased after, watching as the frog hopped onto the legs of the castle. Confusion came to his face as he worked up.  
The frog hopped onto a few wiggling pieces of metal, dislodging them before a ladder dropped down, creating a quick way to get up. Jack realized what he was doing, and shook his head. “Crazy magic creatures,” he said, but he quickly ran to catch up, and hopped on, climbing up.  
Jack shimmied his way up to a balcony, where the frog waited for him, croaking happily. When he could get up, catching his breath, he hopped down and rested on Jack’s shoulder.  
Jack cringed but just patted him. “Okay, okay. You did help me out. Even if you almost got us killed.”

Jack huffed a little more, before turning around to see a door that led inside.  
He took his cane and opened the door, sticking it in to see if anything would happened. A few traps sprung, bursts of magic attacking the cane before sizzling away. “Clever,” Jack noted, stepping in.  
He set off more traps, waving his cane and bumping it into a few things here and there. Once he was sure everything was safe, he sat down in a comfortable chair infront of a fire and took a deep breath. He hacked and cough, warming his hands in front of the fire of the hearth.  
The frog moved and went to rest on his lap again. His croaks started to sound like a soft humming, and a yellow glow cane around Jack, making his chest feel better. “Aha- so you are magical! I knew it,” He said, smirking confidently. But he didn’t get to bask long, feeling his muscles ache and his bones whine for rest. Tiredness hit him like a train. He sighed, and ran a hand down his face. “I guess I can take a little nap until that wizard gets here...” he said, before leaning back, and letting sleep wash over him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I live write chapters and sometimes take reader input doing so! Check my account to see where.


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